Red Pepper and Gouda Soup

Indulge in a bowl of creamy and flavourful roasted red pepper gouda soup. This soup is perfect for chilly days and will leave you feeling satisfied and warm.

I love homemade soup in the winter. We often have soup bubbling on the hob for a warming lunch or a lovely dinner. A big, tasty bowl of soup with homemade bread is the ultimate comfort food, and it always smells amazing. 

I don’t mind a tin of store-bought tomato soup with a sandwich at a push, but really, I prefer something homemade. It’s tastier, cheaper, more nutritious and more filling. You also get a lot more for your money. 

If you are looking for a budget-friendly and meat-free dinner this winter, give this easy red pepper and gouda soup a go. 

Why I Love Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Soup

• Roasted red pepper and smoked gouda soup is a great alternative if you prefer a smoky flavour. 
• Roasted red pepper soup is delicious. 
• It has a lovely Creamy texture.
• Soup is a cheap and nutritious dinner, ideal if you are looking to save some money in January. 

Ingredients For Red Pepper and Gouda Cheese Soup

When I make this roasted red pepper and gouda soup, I use:

Red Bell Peppers – I try to use 4, but 3 or 5 will work too. 

Olive Oil

Red Onion

Garlic Puree – As with all my recipes, you can swap from fresh garlic. But I like to make things as easy as possible. 

Chopped Tomatoes – of the tinned variety. 

Veg Stock 

Paprika

Mixed Herbs – You can use fresh herbs like basil, but I use dried for ease. 

Salt and Pepper

Grated Gouda Cheese

I also add extra cheese, croutons and heavy cream when I serve, but this is totally optional. I recommend tasting before adding either cream or cheese. 

You’ll Also Need

I make my soups in a large Dutch Oven on the hob, but any large flameproof pan or pot is fine. Then I blend using a stick blender (immersion blender).

You also need a tray (and baking sheet if you want to make sure nothing sticks, but I don’t bother) to roast the peppers, a sharp knife and a chopping board. 

A grater is handy for preparing your cheese. 

How to Make Gouda and Red Pepper Soup – Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and stalks. Try to remove the white middle bits as much as possible.

Step Two

Liberally brush with oil and place open-side down on a baking tray. 

Step Three

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C. I don’t bother preheating the oven. If yours takes a long time to come to temperature, you should. 

Step Four

Carefully remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. I leave them on the tray, but you can carefully remove them if you prefer. 

Step Five 

Once cool enough to handle safely, pull the skin away and discard. It should just come away really easily, but if any is stubborn, just leave it, don’t worry. 

Step Six

Warm the remaining oil (add more if needed) in a large, flameproof pan over medium heat on the hob. 

Step Seven

Add the onions and fry for 5-10 minutes until soft. 

Step Eight

Stir in the garlic puree. 

Step Nine

Add the peppers, chopped tomatoes and stock. 

Step Ten

Fill the chopped tomato tin with water and pour this in too. I do it like this to make sure I get all of the tomatoes off the sides of the tin. You can just add water normally. 

Step Eleven

Add the paprika and mixed herbs. You can add some salt and pepper now, or add it to taste later on.

Step Twelve

Cover and bring to the boil. Covering isn’t essential, but it speeds the process up. 

Step Thirteen

Remove the lid and reduce the temperature to a simmer.

Step Fourteen

Stir in the grated cheese. 

Step Fifteen

Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until most of the cheese has melted. You might find that you can still see strands of cheese, but they will have softened, don’t worry.

Step Sixteen

Remove from the heat.

Step Seventeen 

Use a stick blender to blitz into a smooth soup. 

Serving Suggestions

I usually serve soup as it is, with some crusty bread to dip. But this one, because of the cheese, I add extras!

I love adding some extra cheese to the top, sometimes a splash of cream, and a few croutons (mine aren’t homemade croutons, but you should! Still the bread too, of course!

It would be great with cheese on toast, or a cheese toastie (or grilled cheese sandwich. Too much cheese?), a sandwich, or even a salad. 

Variations

Soup is always good if you want to try new flavours and combinations, and this one is no different. 

Use Smoked Gouda Cheese

I’ve used unsmoked, but if you prefer a smoked gouda generally, give it a go. You could also switch to smoked paprika to maximise the smokiness. 

Add More Cream

I don’t add cream to the soup. I let people add their own. But, if you prefer a creamy soup, go for it. 

Add Tomatoes

I use tinned chopped tomatoes for ease, but you could add fresh tomatoes, even roasting them with the peppers if you wanted to. 

Add Some Spice

This isn’t a spicy soup. There’s a little spice, but it’s not hot in any way. If you do want some spice, add a pinch of chilli flakes, a tablespoon of chilli powder, or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, adding more to taste. 

Add Carrot

Now I don’t like carrots in soup really. It’s too earthy a flavour for me. But feel free to try it if you want more vegetables. 

Other Recipes 

If you like this roasted red pepper and gouda soup recipe you might also want to try:

• Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup
• Sweet Potato and Chilli Soup
• Creamy Butternut Squash and Chilli Soup